The creation of photorealistic images of three-dimensional models is central to
computer graphics. Photon mapping, an extension of ray tracing, makes it
possible to efficiently simulate global illumination in complex scenes. Photon
mapping can simulate caustics (focused light, like shimmering waves at the
bottom of a swimming pool), diffuse inter-reflections (e.g., the "bleeding" of
colored light from a red wall onto a white floor, giving the floor a reddish
tint), and participating media (such as clouds or smoke). This book is a
practical guide to photon mapping; it provides both the theory and the
practical insight necessary to implement photon mapping and simulate all types
of direct and indirect illumination efficiently.